I Am A Multibillionaire Dad

10

Santiago grabs Weston's hand. “I need to see you for a second.”

Weston darts an apologetic look at Jose before going outside with Santiago.

“What was that?”

“You're screwed, man. Fucking screwed.” Santiago paces around.

“What happened?”

“That guy with a tattoo that I saw coming out of your room is the Big boys’ commando.”

“Big boys, a cult?”

“Yeah. The fucking second to the most notorious one in the campus,” Santiago answers.

“That's bad.”

“Worse than bad. If he comes to see someone in your room, then you're totally screwed.”

Weston chuckles. “I had no idea you were this scared.”

“Listen me, Weston, the Big Boys' don't take no for an answer.”

“I don't have anything to answer for. Why are you this scared?”

“Don't you get it?” Santiago asks, a frustrated look on his face.

“Sorry?”

“If the commando came to your room to see that creepy looking roommate of yours, it only means one thing: your roommate is a member of the cult.”

“Come on. Tell you what? Another guy invited me to another shitty party. What would have you said if you saw the two of us together? You'd have thought I was already a member.”

“That's different, Weston. Totally different.”

“How is it different? Because I'm new here?”

“No. No one knows the second in command of the big boys’ commando.”

“It's too early for us to know them now,” Weston says.

“It's not too early. Are you even listening to me? I just said the Big Boys are the second notorious group and no one knows their second in command.”

“San, I think you're already overthinking this.”

“Let's go look for a house outside the campus.”

“Is this a joke to you?” Weston asks, his voice laces with anger.

“Our lives are more important than all this shit.”

“Like hell, they are!”

“So let's go look for a house outside the campus. For your sake. Anyone in the Big Boys is a suspect since we really don't know who the—”

“Let's talk about what you came to see me for.”

Santiago's lips part in surprise. “What…?”

“I don't suppose you came here to talk to me about my roommate.”

“You've totally lost it, Weston and I ain't going to have anything to do with you ever again. You can go ahead and die, I have no fucking hand in it.” Santiago swears and walks off, raising dust with his feet as he walks off.

Weston bites on his lower lip. What the fuck just happened? Did he just lose his temper because of a shitty topic?

“Weston?” Jose calls.

Weston glances at Jose, a smile on his face to conceal his damn anger.

“You're okay?” Jose asks.

“I'm cool.”

“It seems your friend doesn't like me,” Jose says, walking over to Weston.

“Well…he's just…don't mind him.”

Jose nods. A smirk flashes across his face when Weston isn't looking. Seems Weston already trusts him, Jose thinks. For now, he'll concentrate on getting Weston to trust him. After that, he can proceed into initiating Weston into the Big Boys without Weston suspecting a thing. All these should be planned with care. Weston is a top dog he shouldn't miss.

“Not a lot of people like me,” Jose says and sigh.

“Come on, why will you say that?”

Jose shrugs. “My parents are dead and I am here thanks to a scholarship. Like…sometimes I think the biggest mistake I have ever made is to come here.”

“Come on, don't say that.”

Jose pretends to wipe tears off his face. “I try my best, Weston, but…I can't…I just can't help the feeling. I do my best but I just never fit in with everyone else.”

“Hey, man, stop. You're just like everyone else. You're cool. I mean it.”

Jose nods, pretending to be very sad. “You know, I do two part-time jobs to be able to get my basic needs met but still…all I ever get right is to read. Other than passing exams, I don't get anything right.”

“Do you know how many people want to be intelligent but are not?”

Jose shakes his head. “Thanks for the advice, you have lifted my spirits.” Hell, he's getting close. He can't believe Weston actually falls for that. Who the hell is intelligent? Why does he need to be intelligent when he can easily bribe the lectures to get him the highest score in his department?

“What should I get for you? I'm going to the convenience store.”

“No. Don't worry, I don't need…” Weston stops when he notices the dejected look on Jose's face.

“I know I'm poor but…I just wish—”

“Buy me anything you want,” Weston says. That seems to lighten up Jose's face.

“I'll be back tonight. Remember…I'll advise you not to go to any of those parties tonight, but if you want, you can go, but…it's dangerous.”

“Thank you. I really do appreciate it,” Weston says.

Jose smiles, adjusts his cufflinks and leaves.

Weston's phone rings. It is Lorette calling.

“You'll tell me you don't know who your roommate really is?” Lorette asks.

“I can't believe San already told you.”

“You really don't know who Jose is?”

“I love playing games, homie. I want to play his game with him.”